Should you apply just because you are qualified?
 

A few months ago when some regionals were hiring pilots with no flight time, all they needed was a CPL. But "should" individuals with 200TT apply for these jobs just because they meet the minimum qualifications? To be a well-rounded, and competent pilot, shouldn't you have to be a lot more qualified? After all if you are flying people, shouldn't you be a little more concerned about your skill level? How can you tell how good/bad of a pilot you are when you have only 200TT? I would like to hear both sides of this issue...and let me just leave it at that.

A few months ago you weren't competing with a couple thousand furloughed pilots with more than enough time, type ratings and 121 experience.

Arguement is kind of moot, at least for a while.

Well, what kind of pilot do you want to be? I feel sorry for guys that went from 0 time to a CRJ in 6-9 months. There's a ton of great flying outside of airline operations. When I look back on my career so far having flown Cessna 150's to F-16's to 747's, my fondest memories are all before I became an airline pilot. Instructing, corporate, single pilot IFR ops, etc. While I love airline flying, it's pretty boring compared to previous jobs. I learned a lot and miss the flying and people I met along the way. That's something you can't put a price on. Enjoy the ride because life's too short!

I haven't made it to airlines for this very reason. Two years ago I was hot on the idea and some of my friends made it to Expressjet while things were still good. But soon thereafter everything went south, and at this point at the forecast looks terrible and I am not sure at this point that I will ever go. The industry turns up and turns down, but fuel costs and the recession are tougher this time than before. In the meantime, it's lots of fun towing gliders, flying skydivers, and flight instructing. I actually fly the airline guys out at the gliderport and skydive outfit sometimes on their days off.

As long as we don't attempt tax our way out of this recession (it won't work), the strong demand for airline pilots will return in about 4 years...

I have a friend who is on the CRJ at Mesaba, and I was talking to him about this today. Here's what he told me; It's all about seniority. If you can get into an airline with low-time, then do it. I was curious about the respect factor from the captains at these airlines and I asked my buddy about that. If you know your stuff there is no reason for them to not respect you, and there is no reason for you to not apply.

However, there are low-timer kids who shouldn't have their hands on a Seminole let alone a CRJ. If you go into a job like this completely unprepared, then you're going to be a burden on everyone you fly with and it wont be fun for you or the guys you fly with. So figure out which one you are and act accordingly.

With all that said, there are a ton of guys out on furlough right now at multiple regionals. Don't expect these airlines to set their minimums to a commercial-multi ticket anytime soon.

What is the difference in a Cessna 172 pilot with 5000 hours and one with 200 hours when teaching them to fly an RJ. Answer: none!

Really? In my experience I would have to disagree. I would think that the 5000 hr guy would have a bit more air sense and SA about him than a 200 hr guy. Most of the students that I fly with have about 230-260 hrs starting out (those that we call CAT I). CAT II students come from a different community (sometimes even helos) and may have thousands of hours. They are both flying a new airplane for the first time, but the couple of thousand hour guy certainly has an advantage in the SA, DM, CM, AD/FX parts of CRM at a minimum.

USMCFLYR

Don't get your undies in a bundle about this guy. He's just commenting on every thread with some line that makes less sense than a "free cialis, viagra" email.

fr33 c1ali$ womin likes more th@an too 1nchs moaning

I learned the RJ with 325 hours maybe 100 of that dual given. 5000 hours not necessary! I once had a 20k plus hour retired Air Force pilot explain aircraft transitions to me like this "A plane is a plane is a plane!" As far as CRM goes there is absolutely no CRM in a Cessna that would prepare you for an RJ.